Protect and promote our world-class British Steel

Trade Secretary, Liz Truss has today laid legislation that will expand her powers to maintain crucial steel safeguards on products made in Scunthorpe. This follows a campaign led by myself and neighbouring MP Andrew Percy on this issue.

I am working with colleagues, the local steelworks and Ministers to preserve steel safeguards on a number of products produced locally. Consultations are ongoing and I am determined to ensure that the industry is not at a disadvantage to the rest of the world.

After today's release of the Defence Command Paper, I asked the government to consider our local steel industry for these new projects.

Having written to the Minister on the need to retain steel safeguards, I have received a positive response from the Minister. Read it here.

I have co-written an article in the Times Red Box with Steel Parliamentary Group co-chair Jessica Morden MP- lobbying the government to help us cut energy prices for steel as we compete internationally and move to low-carbon production. You can read it below or on the Times Website here.

Last week, I used the last debate before Recess to again raise awareness of our world-class steel. I highlighted how steelworks like ours could benefit from infrastructure projects down in Heathrow and beyond, and received a positive response from the Minister.

British steel is the best in the world, and we should be using it in our national infrastructure projects. On Wednesday, I asked the Prime Minister to make sure that there is British steel in HS2.